Menu: A Réveillon Dinner for Christmas Eve

Croquembouche

The Menu

• Arnaud’s French 75
• Creole Cocktail
• Vieux Carré
• Jessica’s Spiced Pecans
• Brennan’s Turtle Soup
• Boudin-Stuffed Turkey Breast
• Mr. B’s Barbecued Shrimp
• Garlicky Skillet Greens with Ham
• Red Beans and Rice
• Jalapeño Shrimp Cornbread
• Croquembouche

More About This Menu

1. Turtle soup, thickened with tomato paste and roux, is a classic New Orleans dish and a standby for restaurants in the French Quarter. The slow-cooking stew gets a sharp boost from dry sherry, often served tableside. If you can’t find turtle in your area, boneless veal shoulder makes an excellent substitute.
2. Prepare the turkey the day before and chill it overnight. You can use store-bought boudin for the filling, or see our recipe for tips on how to make your own.
3. Soak the red kidney beans at least overnight and cook white rice ahead for serving.
4. The skillet greens get a sharp flavor boost from using homemade garlic confit, a condiment made by poaching whole cloves in oil. See the recipe for garlic confit »
5. Serve croquembouche within 4 hours of making to ensure the cream filling doesn’t soften the puffs.